Overview

Central Idaho is a wild and scenic place. It’s a region made up of raucous rivers and babbling creeks, sublime alpine lakes and breathtaking mountains. And tucked among all of this natural grandeur, you can find small communities, like McCall, Ketchum-Sun Valley and Stanley, that offer delightful creature comforts and plenty of Western character and culture.

The Salmon River runs through the heart of the region and, along with its branches (like the famous Middle Fork), carves its way through the second-largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states, the massive Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

Central Idaho covers some of the most beautiful, wild and user-friendly rivers and mountain ranges in the Rocky Mountains. That’s why the region is a year-round playground for mountain lovers. While Central Idaho may not get as much attention or acclaim as other mountainous parts of the country, it’s a tough place to top if you enjoy first-class alpine or Nordic skiing, rafting some of the world’s best whitewater, hiking and mountain biking some of the sweetest trails in the West, or fishing and hunting for some of the wildest fish and game left on the continent.

To balance out all the incredible outdoor activities, most of the small towns in the region offer a nice blend of Old West feel and culture coupled with modern and stylish comforts, served up with a bustling and tasty locavore food movement.